Lucknow, May 17 (IANS): Former Australia cricketer Tom Moody believes pace all-rounder Marcus Stoinis getting to extend his top hand through the ball is ensuring that he gets maximum contact with the ball, resulting in even the miscued or one-handed shots going the distance for a maximum.
On a tough red-soil pitch at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Tuesday, Stoinis started slowly, making 35 runs off his first 29 balls. But he exploded in exciting fashion, smashing 54 runs off his last 18 deliveries to be unbeaten on 89 off 47 balls, his highest IPL score.
"It's been done with the pace of the delivery, so therefore he gives his bottom hand away, but still the velocity of the swing coming down through the arc and he just extends the swing through with the top hand in control of the striking of the ball," Moody was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
It set the base for Lucknow getting a tight five-run win through a competitive score of 177/3, thanks to Stoinis efforts in fetching 54 runs off the last three overs. He smacked the right-arm pace of Chris Jordan for three fours and two sixes to take 24 runs off the 18th over.
Stoinis smashed back-to-back sixes off left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff's slower balls before signing off from the innings with another six off right-arm pacer Akash Madhwal.
"It takes strength, it takes balance and control because you still have to have your head in a strong position. If you throw your head back from that position, the ball is going nowhere. It's a case of he's been done (in) there, but he just extends that top hand through the ball to make sure he gets maximum contact," added Moody.
On his knock, Stoinis, who got the Player of the Match award, said, "Wasn't thinking about the gloves when I was batting. It wasn't the easiest of wickets, but if you give yourself some time, it does get easier (to bat)."
The Australian acknowledged the role of left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan in defending 11 runs off the last over to take Lucknow over the line.
"Great moment for Mohsin. He had been injured since the last IPL. To come into the game and the bowl the final over was great. It was very close," said Stoinis.
"There's a long little things that go your way. We bowled okay to keep us in the game and a couple of good overs by the spinners and Mohsin in the end. We've shown over the last two years that there's no superstars winning games. Different people contributing for our wins," he added.
Now in third place in the points table, Lucknow can confirm their playoff spot if they beat Kolkata Knight Riders in their final league match of IPL 2023 on Saturday evening at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.